Sausage vendor Steve Riley is fighting to get his Broad Street pitch back

Royal Berkshire Grill street trader Steve Riley - at his former pitch in Hosier Street

A man who sold hot sausages in Broad Street for 17 years is trying to get his pitch back.

But despite a letter of recommendation from the deputy leader of Reading Borough Council , Steve Riley is still out on the cold - trading his hot food in Basingstoke.

At the licensing committee tomorrow, Wednesday, August 5, Councillor Josh Williams will be asking the question why 61-year-old Mr Riley cannot have his old site back after another trader - Sam Adaci - won the pitch but failed to take it up.

Cllr Williams will ask: “In March 2014 a vacant street trading consent on Broad Street was granted to a Mr Adaci, provided he was able to proceed within a suitable timescale and would organise his own electricals if power were needed.

Empty

“Mr Adaci has been unable to provide his own power, or take up the pitch, and so it has been empty for well over a year. A Reading resident, Mr Riley, who trades as The Royal Berkshire Grill, was the second choice applicant in March 2014, and has been ready and prepared to take the pitch since then. His method of trading does not need additional electrical power.

“At a time when the council are making eye-watering cuts to jobs and services, leaving a pitch empty and not generating revenue for over a year seems to be an extremely serious problem.

“Can the chair of licensing please confirm when Mr Riley will learn whether he can now take the pitch on Broad Street on either a permanent or temporary basis?”

Cllr Williams told getreading : “Mr Riley was chosen as the second option for the street trading pitch, should the first not be able to take up the licence. Mr Riley’s sausages are cooked solely from gas and battery power so he doesn’t need to take electricity from the grid. He’s been ready and willing to take the site since March 2014.

“An annual licence for the pitch costs £5,867 per year. The pitch has now been empty for 15 months and the council have lost thousands of pounds at a time when budget cuts are hurting residents across the whole of Reading.

Cuts

“I’ll be asking what can we do to get a local businessman onto this pitch, support local and small businesses at a time when it’s not easy making a living, and support taxpayers at a time when cuts are biting.”

Mr Riley who lives in Wokingham Road, East Reading, lost the Hot Sausage Company franchise for whom traded outside Boots for 17 years after a dispute.

He bought his own £12,500 “caterpod” and began trading in Hosier Street as Royal Berkshire Grill for a while but was told the Hot Sausage Company had given up the pitch in Broad Street, so he applied.

Steve Riley inside his new "caterpod"

He lost out to Mr Adaci who was to offer salads in the summer, soups in the winter and stews, rice, couscous and noodles all year round.

Cllr Peter Jones who was the licensing chairman in March 2014 awarded the licence to Mr Adaci saying the choice had been between him and Mr Riley.

Vegetarian options

He said they chose Mr Adaci because he was “offering something quite different with good vegetarian options”.

Mr Riley told getreading that Mr Adaci was from London while he was a “local ratepayer”.

He said: “I’m not a bad loser, I shook his hand at the time.”

But now he feels when Mr Adaci failed to take up the pitch after three months, it should have been offered to him.

He said: “I could set up almost immediately. I would probably have to give a month’s notice where I am. I can operate with just gas and batteries.”

Mr Riley, who was commended by the chief constable for helping police apprehend a criminal while at his Broad Street pitch, will be at the committee meeting when Cllr Williams asks his question.